Jones to captain Wales against England

Llanelli fly-half Stephen Jones will skipper Wales in Saturday's World Cup warm-up Test against England at the Millennium Stadium…

Llanelli fly-half Stephen Jones will skipper Wales in Saturday's World Cup warm-up Test against England at the Millennium Stadium.

Jones, 25, has been handed captaincy duties for the first time as Wales look to end a dismal run of defeats stretching back nine months.

While England boss Clive Woodward has opted to rest the entire starting XV that defeated world champions Australia down under two months ago, Wales coach Steve Hansen includes all his big guns.

Only wing Gareth Thomas remains from the side beaten 35-12 by Ireland in Dublin last weekend, as Wales target their first Cardiff victory over England since 1993.

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Wales parade eight of the team that suffered a 26-9 RBS 6 Nations Championship defeat at English hands last February - Thomas, full-back Rhys Williams, centre Mark Taylor, scrum-half Gareth Cooper, prop Iestyn Thomas, lock Robert Sidoli, flanker Martyn Williams and number eight Dafydd Jones.

England, in contrast, have just one survivor from that game - wing Dan Luger - while full-back Dan Scarbrough and centre Stuart Abbott make their Test debuts.

Hansen has recalled centre Sonny Parker following his prolonged injury problems last season, and there is also an opportunity for 35 times-capped lock Chris Wyatt to press World Cup claims after recapturing a training squad place.

Around 57,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's clash, which will see England chasing a 14th successive Test match triumph.

WALES:R Williams (Cardiff Blues); M Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), M Taylor (Llanelli Scarlets), S Parker (Celtic Warriors), G Thomas (Celtic Warriors); S Jones (Llanelli Scarlets, capt), G Cooper (Celtic Warriors); I Thomas (Llanelli Scarlets), R McBryde (Llanelli Scarlets), G Jenkins (Celtic Warriors), R Sidoli (Celtic Warriors), C Wyatt (Llanelli Scarlets), C Charvis (unattached), MWilliams (Cardiff Blues), D Jones (Llanelli Scarlets).

Replacements: G Williams (Cardiff Blues), A Jones (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), J Thomas (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), G Thomas (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), M Phillips (Llanelli Scarlets), G Henson (Neath-Swansea Ospreys), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).